Naomi Miller, Acting Director

Naomi joined the Bristol Ideas team as Deputy Director in November 2018 and became Acting Director in May 2022. Naomi oversees and manages our city projects, leads on evaluation and reporting, represents the organisation at key city meetings and networks and plays key roles in fundraising and board governance . In 2021, Naomi worked closely with Natasha Carthew to produce the first Working Class Writers Festival. Prior to her role at Bristol Ideas, Naomi held fundraising and organisational development roles at Bristol Cathedral, the Sainsbury Centre for Visual Arts and the Fitzwilliam Museum. Naomi plays an active part in the cultural life of Bristol, co-chairing The Wardrobe Theatre, sitting on the board of Culture Destinations, and on the Chapter of Bristol Cathedral.

Zoë Steadman-Milne, Creative Producer

Zoë joined Bristol Ideas in 2013. As Creative Producer she oversees the programming, logistics and event management of all Festival of Ideas events, content and projects, including the Festival of Economics, Young People’s Festival of Ideas and the Bristol City Poet – whether online, in person or in a hybrid setting. She nurtures relationships with new and existing partners, funders and sponsors. Prior to this role, Zoë produced the Bath Literature Festival from 2005-2013.

Image credit: Jon Craig

Amy O’Beirne, Operations Manager

Amy has been responsible for the management of Festival of the Future City since 2017. She oversees our commissioned work and produced the Bristol 650: Essays on the Future of Bristol book in 2023. She produced the 2015 Bristol and Romanticism walking guide and contributed chapters to the companion book for the 2015 Festival of the Future City, the Bristol800 Book of Walks (2016) and Opening Up the Magic Box (2021). Before joining Bristol Ideas in 2014, she was an MSci Geography student at the University of Bristol.

Andrew Kelly, Creative Programmer

Andrew was Director of Bristol Ideas from 1993 – 2022. His projects include At- Bristol (now We The Curious), Bristol Legible City, Brunel200, Bristol800 and the annual Bristol Great Reading Adventure. In 2014 he directed Bristol’s programme marking 100 years since the start of the First World War, the largest UK programme of its kind outside London. He is a visiting professor at the University of the West of England and has published 15 books on issues ranging from film and cinema history to Brunel and engineering, the future of cities and 100 years of Bristol aerospace. In his new part time role, Andrew will be focused on researching and programming future projects, including Festival of the Future City 2023; a multi-partner project celebrating the legacy of Colin Ward; an international programme marking James Baldwin’s centenary and many others.

Image credit: Evan Dawson